The Presidential Envoy for Interfaith and Ecumenical Relations, Elvis Afriyie Ankrah, has stated that healing for Ghana will not come only through policies and programmes, but through prayer, repentance, righteous leadership and obedience to God.
He said it is the intercessions of the church that sustain peace, guide leadership and strengthen democratic institutions and preserve social cohesion.
He made the statement at the annual Ministerial prayer conference of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) International at the Anim Temple, Anum Asamankese in the Eastern Region last Sunday.
Importance
Mr Afriyie Ankrah underscored the importance of prayer, which empowers strategy that must go with planning, while fasting with foresight and intercession with implementation.
He commended the CAC for its historic and enduring role in raising men and women of prayer, faith and sacrifice with apostolic authority.
He said the CAC has stood as a pillar of revival, spiritual power and moral leadership in Ghana and beyond since it was founded, adding that the church’s investment in prayer is an investment in the soul, stability and destiny of the nation.
“The Government of Ghana recognises the indispensable role of the church in nation building, and the President deeply appreciate the prayers, counsel and moral guidance of the clergy,” he indicated.
Speaking on the theme of the church for the year: “Gifted to bless the world”, Mr Afriyie Ankrah admonished the clergy to use their gifts to shape consciences and not only to fill their auditoriums, as ministers of the gospel who carry a sacred national responsibility.
“As ministers of God, before we cry for economic recovery, we must cry for spiritual renewal, before we demand national progress, we must pursue righteousness and that prayer is not a ritual but an alignment,” he said.
Conference
The Chairman of the CAC, Apostle Samuel Amponsah-Frimpong, in a remark, said the church is committed to deploying its God-given gifts to advance righteousness, peace and the development of Ghana and beyond.
He assured the government of the church’s continued prayers, in the collective fight against environmental degradation and illegal mining activities (galamsey), which threaten the livelihood, health and future of the people.
“We believe that with divine intervention, strong leadership and collective responsibility, this challenge can be overcome,” he pointed out.
Apostle Amponsah-Frimpong said at the beginning of every year, the ministers of the church gather at Anum Asamankese to intercede fervently for the Church, Ghana and the nations of the world, believing that prayer remains the strongest pillar upon which sustainable national development is built.
He said the three-day conference was attended by all full-time and lay ministers of the church to collectively pause, reflect and realign themselves with the divine agenda for the ensuing year.
It is an occasion where the ministers express their profound gratitude to God for his protection, sustenance and providence over the Church and the nation throughout the previous year.
Apostle Amponsah-Frimpong said it is also a time to seek God’s face, his guidance and direction for the ensuing year, committing every plan, vision and aspiration into his hands.
He used the occasion to launch the theme of the Church for the year: “Gifted to Bless the World”, taken from 1 Peter 4:10, stating that it challenges the Church to recognise that the gifts God has entrusted to them are not for self-glory, but for service to humanity, the nation and to the global community.
